


Signed, Sealed, Destroyed

by Dani_Bond



Category: Silicon Valley (TV)
Genre: Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-20
Updated: 2016-10-20
Packaged: 2018-08-23 16:21:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8334256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dani_Bond/pseuds/Dani_Bond
Summary: Jared should have been on high alert when he was invited to sit at the kitchen table by Richard as soon as he walked in. This was never going to be a hangout with the Pied Piper gang - it was an ambush.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Set way into the future of Pied Piper. The video chat took off and the company is worth billions once again. As a result, there is a new group of investors interested. 
> 
> I don't claim to have any insight on what truly occurred between Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin during Facebook's law suit coverage. This is purely based on a single scene (essentially two lines) from the movie, Social Network.

Jared should have been on high alert when he was invited to sit at the kitchen table by Richard as soon as he walked in. This was never going to be a hangout with the Pied Piper gang - it was an ambush.

 

Only a month ago, in the living room of Erlich's home, they shared fonder memories here. Another round of beer and a game of always blue after work. Jared frantically ran into there, hoping that this was all a joke - albeit a cruel, sickening joke but a joke nonetheless. He searched for a hidden camera crew, any sign of laughter amongst the guys. It was empty. A mesmerizing whir from the sleeping monitors and laptops.

 

Jared turned on his heel, eerily calm now. His icy glare directed at Richard. 

 

"I'm not signing those papers." he stated flatly.

 

"When we hired you, this was the agreement. It was in the contract, from day one. You were aware. No surprises. And you signed those papers!" yelled Richard, pointing accusingly at Jared. He held onto the new contract, finalizing the deal. To an outsider, he may look like a toddler throwing a tantrum but this was a serious legal issue that needs to be resolved with Jared's signature.

 

"No."

 

Richard scoffed. He turned away to control his emotions. He was more than irritated, he was hostile at Jared.

 

_ Breathe in, breathe out. _

 

With one final sigh of aggravation, he slowly turned to Jared and explained once again, "Your contract stated that if we ever have three major investors that totalled to more than 60% of the shares, then your shares will be diluted down to 0.03% in order to accomodate."

 

"That was only there because you and Erlich thought I was a spy for Hooli, or that I would have bailed by now. Here I am, still by your side, and you're going to throw it all away because of investor money?" Jared questioned with a look of disgust on his face. He sneered at Richard when he began to nod. Wrong answer. That is the answer from a CEO who's been tainted by the tech industry - not the man who he blindly yet faithfully pursued to assist in his dreams.

 

It was a quick shift, but instead of angry, he simply seemed disappointed. "I don't expect anything, from you or any of the guys, but I certainly hoped for some facet of loyalty."

 

Jared shrugged in a what-can-you-do manner, so cartoon-ish for the high tension that emanated in the room.

 

Richard countered, "Don't guilt trip me." 

 

Jared smiled crookedly. 

 

"I signed those papers because I saw a worthy product, in not only a financial sense but also in its society-shocking altruistic value. It didn't matter to me how easily screwed over I could be because I believed that you would do the right thing."

 

Richard lowered and shook his head. He thought to himself, "Please stop thinking that I'm this good person because this product, Pied Piper, is the only thing that matters."

 

Jared gazed at Richard, searching for some semblance of the man he admired. He noticed that, although Richard couldn't make eye contact, he seemed steady. He wasn't fidgeting or shifting his weight. Jared knew that the sincere Richard was gone. This is the Richard who only cares about scaling the platform and disregards anyone who can't keep up.

 

"Tell me this: how could you betray me like this?" Jared asked, agitatingly politely.

 

Richard didn't answer.

 

"I deserve an explanation, Richard."

 

They locked eyes. The tension in the room settled momentarily. If only they could go back to one month ago. Sadly, that wasn't the case.

 

Richard calmly responded, "You signed the papers. You're going to blame me because you're the business head of the company and you made a bad business deal with yourself?"

 

Jared swore he could feel the knife in his back twist. He truly thought that Richard would take the high road, instead he was slapped with ill-fated reality. Jared learned his lesson. Any and all CEOs are assholes. That's how they got to the top. It doesn't matter how genuine your heart is when you start. Silicon Valley destroys all things pure - for money.

 

All Jared wanted was a vision to believe in. He had a found family that he cherished, and he's being kicked out. Again.

 

"It's going to be like I'm not a part of Pied Piper."

 

"You're not."

 

This felt too surreal. Jared wasn't even crying. Richard appeared determined. Neither of them were going to back down.

 

"I'm not signing those papers." Jared whispered.

 

Richard's frustration surged. He had enough of this back and forth between them. Pied Piper, his company, is not a game. He has worked too hard and has fallen into too many pit falls to screw this up again. He is not about to lose Pied Piper, not again. CEOs need to make the tough decisions. And if that means that he loses Jared, then so be it.

 

"Can't you just be happy for me? I won, we won. We have the money to build the initial platform. Isn't that what you want?"

 

"I don't want to see this company turn into another faceless corporation, preaching about world peace when all it actually cares about is the profit. Isn't that what you wanted?"

 

"Yeah, it was what I wanted. But this is what I want now, for you to sign the papers."

 

"Richard, you must understand what kind of terrible position you're putting me in." Jared took a small breath in. "Look, what I did, that's legally binding and I recognize that my shares will be reduced. What I can't surmise is why you're kicking me out as an advisor. There is nothing in the original contract that states that my position with Pied Piper would be terminated."

 

Richard pursed his lips. Jared needed some sort of explanation, he must deserve that at least.

 

"At the last board meeting, there was discussion about hiring a new business head. Someone that both Felicis Ventures and Softech VC have worked with before. Someone that they trust." Richard revealed.

 

"And you don't trust me?"

 

Richard blinked a couple of times in quick succession. He didn't want to answer that honestly.

 

"I think it's best for the company if I took the advice from these investors."

 

"You're asking me to walk away with 0.03% of Pied Piper's shares, instead of an offer of severance compensation?" Jared clarified.

 

"It's a good deal. We're projected to be worth billions of dollars."

 

Jared scrunched his nose and extended both of his hands in front of him. It was an act of astonishment.

 

"I lose Pied Piper either way."

 

"You would have money, though."

 

He made an obvious show of his empty palms. "But that's just money. There's no distinguishable significance. What about the value of camaraderie that we, the guys, have created?" Jared was desperately studying Richard's face. He just needed one moment of clarity, of real Richard, someone who would trust Jared and ask for his help.

 

"Jared, if you care for me at all..." Richard paused. He knew that this would be completely unadulterated manipulation, yet he continued anyway. "If you care for me at all, you would sign the contract."

 

"If I sign, I'll be heartbroken."

 

Richard folded his arms and looked down at the floor. Jared couldn't see his eyes, for all he knew, Richard could have been praying.

 

"Would you be happier?" Jared asked. He held his breath.

 

Richard nodded, but he didn't look up.

 

Jared let out a shaky breath and swallowed hard.

 

There was no turning back now. Richard was just like any other Silicon Valley CEO, cowardly taking the money over whatever it was that they had together.

 

"Give me the new contract."

 

"Thank you."

 

"Anything for you, Richard Hendricks." Jared stated dryly.

 

He fluently signed and initialled all the necessary sections.

 

Then, the final deafening drop of the pen.

**Author's Note:**

> I've actually been having a lot of fluffy feelings about Jarrich recently so I don't know where this came from. Either way, I hope you like it. 
> 
> I truly believe that Richard could be the asshole CEO if Pied Piper keeps spiraling downwards. I hope that the show will give Richard the character development that he deserves, and frankly that Pied Piper will be developed in the way that it deserves. 
> 
> Seek me out on tumblr, praisejarrich, if you'd like!


End file.
